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North Miami Beach, FL – REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, an affiliate of the American Library Association, proudly announces the winner of REFORMA’s Noche de Cuentos Mini-Grant. The San Rafael Public Library Pickleweed Branch, CA. has been selected as the recipient of the 2013 NOCHE DE CUENTOS/ A NIGHT OF STORIES Mini-Grant.

NOCHE DE CUENTOS is a REFORMA Family Literacy Initiative generously supported by Lorito Books and also this year by Information New Wave (INW). The purpose of the initiative is to foster literacy in a family group. The winning library receives a $500 mini-grant for the implementation of its program.

“We are proud to be part of Noche de Cuentos. Families, libraries and good stories are a recipe for great communities. We look forward to watching this REFORMA initiative grow,” said Pam Fochman, President of Lorito Books and devoted Noche supporter.

The San Rafael Public Library Pickleweed Branch will set up a series of 3 storytelling nights to commemorate both World Storytelling Day coming up this March 20th, and to promote the importance of both traditional and personal storytelling. “Not only do we want to interest the local community in traditional stories from their countries of origin, we also want to encourage the idea that anyone can tell stories, and emphasize to the community the connection between oral storytelling and literacy,” expressed Joshua Alperin, coordinator of the program.

In addition to the plan activities for each night, the program organizers will aim at creating an intimate domestic setting to resemble how families in Latin America share stories at home in the evenings. This will include providing hot chocolate and sweet breads (pan dulce) and using traditional home decorations to create a warm and friendly environment.

Noche de cuentos will be celebrated on the week of March 20-27, 2013 in conjunction with World Storytelling Day, observed during the spring equinox on March 20th. REFORMA invites families from Latino communities across the United States to join the global community in the celebration of World Storytelling Day and gather at their libraries to share stories, songs and experiences from their families, their communities, or their countries.